


The Cure for Loneliness

by Azura



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Blood, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Multi, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-19 15:17:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8213866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azura/pseuds/Azura
Summary: You join the Avengers and have one hell of a first day, including saving Captain America’s life.





	1. Shots Fired

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fvckingavengers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fvckingavengers/gifts).



> This first chapter is a little dark but I promise fluff and smut are on the way! If you enjoy a comment is always appreciated!

Your first day. Of all the days for things to go to hell, it had to be your first day. The alarm began to blare while you were still being introduced to members of the team. You hadn’t even met The Star Spangled Man or his metal armed friend before you were being told to suit up and get to the jet. 

First day. First mission. Great. 

You knew this was your chance to prove that you could be an asset to the team, there had been some question as to whether your precog ability would be useful in a fight, but when you sparred against Natasha all bets were off. You knew where she was going to hit when she was going to dodge. You were always able to evade every attack and always able to get into her small almost nonexistent openings. Your ability was only for a few seconds into the future, and only when you concentrated, but it was more than enough to help you in a fight. 

You’d battled against your ability for years. It seemed so useless, who needs to know that the phone will ring in a few seconds, or that as soon as you enter your home you’ll be hit with smoke from dinner burning in the kitchen. It seemed useless up until the night you glimpsed your friend being pulled into a dark alley seconds before you were there, just enough time to cross the street and make sure that particular future didn’t happen. 

It had scared you enough that you started taking self defense classes, and that's where you learned where your ability really shined. In combat. It didn’t take long for you to dawn a party mask, a halloween wig, and take to the streets. Sadly, it was all a matter of time before your family found out, and they’d told you to stop or get out. You hadn’t spoken to them since, and now you had what was promised as a family who would understand, a family who would help you fight crime by your side and not tell you to get a real job. 

You pushed the thoughts from your head and geared up quickly, one of Natasha’s extra suits fit you a bit more snuggly than you would like, but no one had time to get you a uniform made yet so it would have to do. What happened next was a blur. 

You were dropped in front of a small base, Captain America and the Winter Soldier were closest to you, of course they wouldn’t put you with someone you actually knew, that would only make sense after all. You resolved to deal with it, get the mission done and then introduce yourself after. Steve charged forward, shield held high deflecting the hailstorm of bullets that were coming his way, Bucky was right beside him deflecting as well with that all too useful metal arm. 

It was a second before your precog snapped into focus, a hazy flash from the barrel of a sniper rifle, aimed right for Captain America’s heart. The unfortunate downside of your ability was that you had very little time to plan. In a flash you were running for Steve, you knew if you pushed him out of the way Bucky would shield him from the frontal assault. 

You shoved and the large man fell to the side completely unprepared for a teammate to tackle him. Bucky quickly took up the slack and shielded you both with his arm. Shouts of surprise rang through your ears as you felt the painful pinch of the bullet as it pierced your chest. Pain exploded through you, and warm wetness pushed from the entry and exit wound. You struggled to breathe and you knew it must have hit a lung. Dark spots filled your vision as you slumped over the fallen soldier. The world felt like it was closing in around you, and the last thing you saw was surprise and concern wash over his face. 

\----

Steve paced outside the operating room, he’d been told they would be working with someone new, but he never expected her to take a bullet for him. She’d possibly saved his life and now her life was hanging on by a thread. He glanced at Bucky, never stalling from the small circle he was slowly working through the floor. 

Bucky leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest to hide the small tremor in his hands. He saw it happen, saw Steve fall to the side, saw her take the bullet that was meant for the one person he had left. She didn’t even seem surprised by it, like she knew exactly what she was giving in exchange for his friends life. He wanted to do something, anything, to relieve the tension he was feeling right now. He hardly knew her. The girl he’d carried away from the field as he’d called an evac. He’d brushed her hair from her slack face, put pressure on her wound to keep her from bleeding out. He watched her face, every bump made her cringe as her face lost more and more color.

She was critical by the time they made it to the hospital. He could feel her heart struggling to beat under his hand, her rattling breath slowing with every step towards the hospital doors. He was so afraid in those moments while her blood pooled around his fingers that she would die in his arms. He was terrified his hands would be stained with the blood of an ally, of someone who was willing to die for Steve and he didn’t even know her name. 

“Steve?” His voice was more harsh than he expected, his stress pushing its way through his vocal cords. He wanted to know about this girl, why she was on the team when he didn’t know her. It was acceptable when he was the Winter Soldier, he never knew the pawns he worked with. Now that he was with the Avengers things were different, everyone on the team knew each other extensively. 

What set off who, when to jump in, and when they could handle it. They knew each other well enough to dance around each other on the battlefield and never compromise the other’s plan. He’d been the new one up until now, and he remembered Steve dragging him room from room making him introduce himself. He remembered the training sessions with each member until they knew each other enough to know how the other would react. It wasn’t until after all that, and an OK from the resident shrink, that he was allowed to join them on missions. 

“Yeah Buck?” Came the tired voice of his friend as he grasped at the back of his neck for the 100th time that hour. 

“Who is she?” Maybe he just hadn’t been introduced, maybe Cap had met her at the very least. 

“All I know is that she’s new, Natasha told me they were introducing her to everyone today and I guess she just got mixed up in the mission before we got a chance to meet her.” Steve finally sunk into one of the cold hard chairs of the hospital waiting room, his legs splayed wide as he rested his head in his palms. 

Bucky picked up on the sounds of footsteps down the hall, and looked through the curtain of his hair at the new arrivals. Finally, someone with answers. Sam and Natasha had arrived, their faces grim as they approached. 

“What happened?” Natasha asked as she sat beside Steve. 

“We were making a push towards the entrance, then she pushed me out of the way of a sniper and got hit.” Steve said, his voice cracking towards the end. Bucky knew Steve had lost people in the field before during the war, so had he, but that had been long ago and they weren’t so prepared to lose a friend anymore. 

“Makes sense, she probably saw you getting hit.” Natasha commented as she nodded thoughtfully.

“What?” Bucky asked, he was confused, how the hell could she have seen Steve get hit?

“She has this weird 15 second precognition, comes in handy in a fair fight.” Sam added from the coffee machine as he tiredly pushed the buttons that would lead him to a hot cup of caffeine. 

“Whats her name?” Steve could barely concentrate on the question, he felt his blood pounding in his ears. She’d seen that he would die if he was hit, or at least be wounded enough that he would be killed. She decided his life was worth more than her own.

He barely heard Natasha tell him your name or any of the other things she told him about you, at the same time he was committing every small detail to memory. Where you grew up, when you discovered your powers, the fact that you were estranged from your family, that they didn’t support your choice to use your powers to help people, you lived alone with the soul exception of your rabbit.

Bucky watched emotions flood over Steve’s face as he understood what happened and learned about you. He was sure his own face reflected Steve’s to a T. He watched the man he loved clinch his fist as he decided the same thing he did. You weren’t going to die, and they were going to make sure you weren’t alone.


	2. Cap and Sarge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are tired of waiting for news and are growing impatient. When the doctor finally comes will it be good news? Loads of fluff and humor in this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for the support! I'm excited to continue this fic and I hope you enjoy this second chapter. As always if you like it comments and kudos are always very appreciated!

The next few hours passed excruciatingly slowly. The once empty trash can beside the refreshment area now full of empty coffee cups and discarded snack packaging. Avengers rotated out over time, the only constants were Steve and himself. This waiting was going to drive him mad, if it didn’t end soon. Finally, finally, the doors swung open and an exhausted doctor stepped through. 

“She’s stable and should be waking up soon. She was lucky, the bullet passed between the trachea and the pulmonary artery and we were able to stop the bleeding and close the wound. If you hadn’t have acted so quickly and kept pressure like you did she probably wouldn’t have made it. We’re moving her to a room in the ICU now; just to keep an eye on her for the first day or so. You can see her if you like, but only two visitors at a time.” The doctor looked up from his notes as if asking for questions, when none came from the relieved super soldiers, he hurried off back through the doors he entered through.. 

Bucky pushed himself from the seat he’d found himself in an hour or so ago and locked eyes with Steve as he stood and rubbed the tiredness from his eyes. Time to act on the plan they’d formulated to make sure she wouldn’t be alone again.Together they made their way to the ICU with the same thing on their minds, the surgery may have gone well and the doctor may have said you were stable, but you were still in the ICU. The odds were still stacked against you, and they were going to do whatever it took to fix that. 

When they arrived Bucky’s eyes quickly traveled over you, you looked so peaceful while you slept. Your hair spilled over the pillows as your chest, plastered with a large white bandage, slowly rose and fell. You were so pale laying there, he’d watched the color draining from you as he fought to keep pressure, he wanted to believe you had regained some, but you still looked as pale as when he’d seen you last. They both sat down, Steve posted in the chair next to the beeping heart and O2 monitor, and himself next to the bags filled with whatever was keeping you with them. They waited for you to wake up, Bucky with his fingers through his hair and Steve with his head in his hands. 

\------

You awoke to dim lights and faint beeping. Your chest throbbed, and you were sure it would start to hurt soon, but for now all you felt was confusion. Your groggy mind tried to replay events up to this point, you were shot, you went down and now you were here, hooked to machines dripping medicines from bags. You decided you must be in a hospital, you lived. Too numb to feel the relief that should flood you, the next thing you noticed were the two men who looked like they were wound up tight enough that they would explode if left unattended. 

“Hi” you rasped, your throat dry and sore. Both men’s heads shot up at the sound of your voice and amazement and relief washed over their features. 

“Hey, how you feeling? Are you hurting?” Steve was by your side immediately, large hand clasped around yours. You looked at his hand in surprise, the touch unexpected. 

“Throat’s dry and m’ chest is throbbin’.” You try to smile through it like it was no big deal. 

“I’ll get you something.” Came the deep murmur of the super soldier on your other side as he stood and left the room. 

“I… thank you (Y/N).” Steve fumbled his words as he tried to find a way to express how much he owed you. 

“Any time Cap.” You normally were more chatty than this, but your throat ached and every word felt like you were ripping it from straight from hell. 

“Sorry we didn’t get a chance to meet until now, this probably isn’t the best time for introductions, but I’m Steve Rogers, and the guy who just left is James Barnes, but we just call him Bucky.” Steve smiled warmly at you as he pulled his chair closer.

“Nice to meet you, kind of wish we’d gotten the chance before the mission though.” You manage as you take in his handsome features. No one ever told you just how blue his eyes were, or how his five o’clock shadow made his kissable lips just that much more pronounced. No one ever said that he was going to potentially be one of the hottest men you’d ever seen. 

Steve chatted with you quietly until the door clicked open, you glanced up to see the mildly irritated face of James Barnes as he was ushered back into the room by a nurse, a ziplock bag of sponges on sticks like lollipops clinched in his metal fist and looking thoroughly scolded. 

“Good, you’re awake. We can’t give you anything to drink right now, but I’ve given your er...friend a bag of sponges that can help you with the dryness. Your pain medication will likely make you fall back to sleep, but I can give it to you if you’re hurting.” The nurse smiled at you as she flowed around the bed, checking the bags that dangled near the back of your bed and the slightly irritating monitors. 

“I can wait.” You manage as you eye the pink and yellow sponges in Bucky’s hand. Were they different flavors? Could you just stick all of them sopping wet into your mouth at once? Probably not but it would be worth it to try. The nurse excused herself after checking over your bandages and you were left with the two men who filled the room around you, how she even fit inside with both of them there beside you was beyond your comprehension. 

“Gimmi those.” You make a weak attempt at a reaching motion towards the bag held by Barnes. 

“No ma’am the nurse said one every so often and the look your face says you’re going to try to fit as many in your mouth as you can” His chest rumbled in a relieved chuckle, if you were feeling well enough to try to boss him around then you weren’t as bad off as he earlier believed. He reached inside and grabbed one liquid laden yellow sponge and wiped your lips with it tenderly as your face flushed, there was that color he was looking for. 

“What are you doing? Are you teasing me you ass?” You huff and wince at your efforts. Note to self, don’t do that again. 

“Sorry, sorry it’s just what she told me to do. I did try try to make her give you some water, she er… didn’t respond well to it” He replied apologetically as he finally shoved the sponge into your mouth. You moaned at the wash of slightly lemon flavored water as it coated your mouth and throat. Finally, some relief. 

You sucked on the sponge for a time while you considered the men in your room. Why were they doting on you? Natasha said they didn’t typically get too close to the other members of the team. They were friendly enough, sure, but you got the idea that they weren’t the type to nurse the others back to health. 

“Are you doing this just because I pushed you out of the way?” You question Steve suspiciously. The only way your mind could wrap around it was that he had some weird need to repay you for saving him, and this was the best way he could come up with. He’d be done with you by the time you were discharged and you’d be back home alone with Sarge and Cap.

“What? Of course not, after all I’m sure I’ll save you on the field one of these days. We just wanted to make sure you had someone here when you woke up, and we wanted to help you recover.” He said softly, staring down at where his hand held yours. It felt so small compared to his, like he could crush it in his grip. 

“Yeah and I don’t owe you anything.” Came the blunt reply from Bucky as he slipped his large hand around your free one, his thumb rubbing small circles into your skin. “Steve’s probably going to be on your ass for life now, I saved his once in an alley and look what happened.” 

His soft chuckle had warmth building in your chest and you looked over him as his hand passed through his hair and his tongue made a gentle sweep across his lips to wet them. Of course he was just as handsome as the Captain on your left. Why wouldn’t he be? Of course you had to be in the roughest state of your life as you finally met the two most handsome men in the universe. 

“Well… Alright..” You were still suspicious, but if they were offering you didn’t see a reason to turn them down. 

“Do you mind if one of us goes to your place to make sure everything's alright?” Steve eventually ventured, they didn’t have a key and although he knew that wouldn’t be a problem for either of them, he doubted you wanted to come home to a broken down door. 

“Oh ah… sure, thank you.” Your mind flashed to your rabbits Cap and Sarge, if anyone ever asked if you named them after Captain America and Sergeant Barnes you would deny it until the day you drew your last breath. The honest truth was that you bought Cap soon after you got your powers, you named him after one of the superheroes that inspired you most and who’s hair matched his sandy fur. You adopted a black mischievous rabbit a couple of years later and named him after the Patriotic Angel’s darker half. You would never admit that to anyone, ever, and especially not to either of them. “My keys are in my equipment locker back at the tower.” 

You told them the combination to the lock, and got to know them a little better before finally calling the nurse back when the pain began to be too much. The last thing you remembered before sleep washed over you was a gentle squeeze from your left, and a hushed whisper to get some rest. 

\----

Steve decided to go to your apartment first, Natasha had said one rabbit right? So he would just have to find it and make sure it was fed as well as check over your place. He allowed himself inside and immediately began to question the information Natasha had fed him. 

There in the middle of the floor was one sandy rabbit nibbling on some sort of grass like plant, he assumed you wouldn’t have left it where the creature could eat it if it were poisonous. That went with what Natasha had told him, what didn’t was the second rabbit hurriedly thumping towards the first before they both tumbled to the floor. There were two. What else was going to be off here? He picked up the phone and called Natasha quickly. 

“Yeah?” Came the smoky voice of his friend. 

“There’s two rabbits.” He watched bewildered as one hopped into the air and bounded away from the scene of the crash. 

“What? She only ever mentioned one. Maybe second one is new or doesn’t get in as much trouble as the other. She only ever mentioned it in passing, saying that her rabbit ate through her phone cord again even though she bought him plenty of things to chew on.” Natasha huffed out a laugh as she spoke. 

“Right, so what else can I expect? Is there a boyfriend or something?” Why was he suddenly feeling jealous? She was allowed to have a boyfriend, just because him and Buck decided they were going to insert themselves into her life didn’t mean she wanted or needed them there. 

“No, she’s woefully single. Her words not mine. Everything else should be right, Steve, we’ve been training together for over a month now.”

“Alright, thanks Natasha.” Steve hung up after their goodbyes and looked around, sure enough everything was just as Natasha had said. He decided that a picture of your rabbits being treated with fruit would probably cheer you up a bit and went about trying to take the picture. Eventually he got a little frustrated, the black rabbit was constantly sitting on the tan one’s head and the tan one didn’t even seem to care as it happily chewed away on its apple slice. He finally gave up and took the picture anyway. It was cute enough, even if they refused to behave like he wanted them to. 

\----

The next time you fully awoke it was to the smell of soup and saltines as your doctor finally lifted your no food or water order. You dug in hungrily, paying no mind to the chuckles to your sides. The clear pale yellow broth you assumed to be chicken was awful, but god you were so hungry, and the feeling of something finally filling your stomach was probably the best thing you’d felt since you’d arrived. 

“So you have rabbits huh?” Steve prompted as he watched you inhale the soup and cup of water that was on the small tray in front of you; and cocked an eyebrow when you froze and your eyes widened. 

“You met Cap and Sarge? Were they being good? Did they eat through my cords again??” You worried as you looked at Steve for any sign of concern.

“Cap and Sarge?” You could practically hear the smirk spread across the ex assassin’s face and your face warmed in embarrassment. 

“Th-They aren’t named after you! Geez, ego. They’re named after uh… my… grandfathers” You were embarrassed at your cover up. Yeah, sure, they would believe that one of your grandfather’s was a Captain and the other a Sergeant. If they decided to look it up they would immediately know you were lying, your maternal grandfather was a coal miner and your paternal one a chef. 

Steve pulled out his phone and swiped at it a few times before showing you the picture he had taken. You felt your embarrassment leave you temporarily as a grin slid across your face. Sarge was teaching Cap who’s boss again and Cap loved it. You couldn’t help but wonder if it were the same for the men on either side of you. 

“That’s the reaction I was hoping for. Why did, let me guess, Sarge lay on Cap’s head?” Steve asked as a playful smile crossed his face. 

“Sarge likes to make sure Cap knows who’s in charge. Cap likes it, though, don’t worry.” You reply as you finally tear your eyes away from the picture of your rabbits. 

“Yeah, ‘Cap’ likes it pretty good too.” Bucky quipped before laughter shook him, brought on by the deep blush crawling up Steve’s face. You laughed with him and soon regret it, hole in your chest, right. No deep breaths. 

“Sorry no more jokes until you’re better.” Bucky soothed apologetically. 

“Guess I have to get out of here soon then, huh?” You smiled, it could be fun having these two around, and you hoped it would last passed the date of your discharge.


	3. Kiss The Cook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally get to come home from the hospital, will the Soldier's stay to keep you company or will their affection wane now that you're well enough to take care of yourself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a gift fic for @fvckingAvengers on Tumblr. I hope you enjoy it! This chapter was originally going to be the last part, but after it got a little long and some hold ups on the ending I've decided to split it into two parts. Hope you all enjoy it! Kudos and comments are always appreciated.

Finally. It may have only been a week that you were trapped in that prison of a hospital, but you were more than ready to go home, snuggle your rabbits, curl up in your own bed and watch sappy Netflix rom-coms. Steve and Bucky were always there with you, at first both were nearly always there at the same time, then they slowly began a rotation. One would always be by your side while the other went and did whatever they needed to do. It was only a week but they just seemed to mold so perfectly into your life that already you couldn’t imagine going back to how things were before.

You were still heavily drugged when a nurse brought you out of the hospital in the wheelchair they insisted you use. You’d tried to argue that you could walk, your legs weren’t broken after all, but they wouldn’t hear it. Hospital policy they said, you thought it was bullshit until you finally went to stand up. The world tilted dangerously in your giddy haze and you chuckled, not realizing at first that it wasn’t the world falling around you; but you were, in fact, tripping over your own feet.

A steadying hand came curving around your waist as Bucky smiled in amusement, “Little too high there Princess?”

You blushed at the nickname remembering the moment he gave it to you. Your pain meds had been reduced to the point where you no longer slept through most of the day, instead, you apparently chose to embarrass yourself during the extra time. Most of the things the boys teased you about you couldn’t remember. You couldn’t decide if you were lucky or unlucky that you remembered this particular occasion.

* * *

 

_Your mind was a haze as you fought to get a straw to actually go in your mouth instead of constantly poking you all over your face. This battle had been going on for a while, you weren’t sure how long, but it felt like hours and Bucky’s pathetic attempts to hide his mirth at your uncoordinated efforts were just annoying you more._

_“Barnes hold this stupid thing still so I can drink it.” You spat at him, irritation at the straw spilling over._

_“Oh, of course, Princessa.” He chuckled as he held the offending plastic between two fingers so that you could finally close your lips around it. You moaned in delight at the sensation of fruit punch flowing over your tongue. The drugs making it taste like the best thing you’d ever had._

_“If I’m a Princess does that make you a Prince?” You teased after you released the straw and laid back to get comfortable once again. A blush had spread over your face at the way the nickname rolled from his tongue as though it had always belonged there._

_“Hmm. Maybe, but I think you’re just bossy.” He grinned as your blush intensified._

* * *

 

The door to a small Volkswagen at the curb swung open as the blonde Super Soldier stepped out grinning from ear to ear, you couldn't help but wonder how the two of them could possibly fit inside comfortably.

“Ready to go home, Princess?” Steve asked playfully.

“You told him?!” You stared at Bucky in betrayal, your mouth hanging open as you fought for the right words for the situation.

“Nuh uh, you told him. You gushed about how you were my Princess for an hour before Steve decided he should just call you that too.” He chuckled as he ushered you into the vehicle, you didn’t remember that incident and your face just got hotter.

“Ready?” Steve asked as he slid into the driver's seat and Bucky plopped into the passenger side.

“I’ve been ready to go home for days.” You grumbled, embarrassment making you slightly irritable.

With a chuckle, Steve drove you to your apartment and they ushered your constant tilting and stumbling self inside. As soon as your rabbits saw you they started hopping excitedly, Cap’s foot thumping a mile a minute on the floor and Sarge bounding towards you as though he thought he’d never see you again.

It isn’t your fault that you were so drugged up on pain meds that you laid on the floor to cuddle with them, or that you eventually fell asleep that way. When you awoke you were in your bed, Cap on your stomach and Sarge firmly snuggled against your side. You had no idea how long you’d been out but the pain that had started to pierce your chest indicated that you’d been out for a few hours at the very least.

Slowly, groggily, you detached yourself from your two furry friends and dragged your aching body to the bathroom to freshen up. You were told to be careful of your bandages in the shower, so you decided to put it off for until you’d at least taken your medicine again, instead opting for a cold washcloth across your face, making you feel more human than you had in days. You finished washing up and stepped outside, and instantly a grin spread across your face.

The first thing you saw, and honestly couldn't look away from, was Bucky sitting on your couch. Sarge laid where his flesh shoulder met the couch, head tucked into the soldier's neck. Cap was snuggled into his lap, his face nudging his hand as he stroked his fur.

“Hey Princess, Steve’s cooking up some dinner you hungry?” Bucky asked, his voice slightly rough as though he had been dozing as well until your rabbits decided they needed a new cuddle buddy since you were awake.

Joy surged through your chest, temporarily replacing the pain. Not only was Bucky adorable sitting there as though he couldn't possibly belong anywhere else, they had stayed. They hadn't left you as soon as you were safe in your bed as you'd feared. You chastised yourself for being so excited by this, you’d only known them a week after all. It didn’t make sense for you to have become this attached to them.

“Yeah I’m starving.” You grin, "Comfortable?"

“Yeah, these guys sure know how to make a guy feel welcome. I'm glad to hear you're up to eating, Steve's cooking and it's quite the sight to see.” He chuckled and gestured towards the kitchen.

Your eyes followed the length of his arm to where he was pointing, puzzling over just what he could mean before you saw it. Steve standing with his back to you at the stove, wearing only black form-fitting boxers that hugged the curve of his ass perfectly and the white strings of your apron tied into a neat bow at his hips.

Your apron.

The only apron you owned was given to you by an ex-boyfriend who was far too interested in you being the one to stay home, cook, and clean. You rarely used it, choosing instead to just deal with the chance of getting your clothes dirty then put forth the small effort to put the thing on. It was a small, white, frilly thing from the front. Large red lips plastered across the stomach and Kiss the Cook in curling script along the chest.

You were dreaming, right? There’s no way Captain Beefcake would wear a frilly kiss the cook apron, and the odds of him wearing it almost completely naked were even more far fetched. You looked to Bucky for help only to catch his predatory smirk as he watched the other man’s ass sway while he moved around the kitchen. He wasn’t going to be of any help at all.

“Steve where are your clothes?” Words tumbled out of your mouth as you watched the way the muscles in his back flexed while he reached for spices. Your eyes followed the solid lines of muscle down his back, straight to his ass, the apron strings tied in a bow and dangling as though the sculpted area it was nestled on were a gift. Who were you kidding, it was a gift.

“Huh? Oh... “ He had the decency to look half embarrassed as a lopsided grin stretched across his face and his cheeks turned rosy. “Ask Sarge.”

You looked to Bucky in confusion, did he mean the man or the rabbit? He had to mean Bucky, right? What could Sarge have done to his clothes? You felt the color drain from your face as you remembered one of Sarge’s mischievous pastimes. He didn’t just like to chew all your cables, he loved to chew clothes and shoes as well. He also loved to turn them into a nest-like bed. You’d had trouble taming his habitual destruction of property since you’d gotten him, even going so far as to ask the vet if there was anything else you could do. You’d tried everything, while Cap was happy with a pile of straw, chew blocks, and a few toys, Sarge refused to touch most of it.

“He ate them didn’t he?” You were mortified.

“Only one set, laundry day.” He grinned back at you guiltily as he flipped whatever was in the pan. It smelled heavenly and you had no clue what he could be making, but the wafts of spices after eating nothing but tasteless mystery food for a week were causing your stomach to awake with a gurgle.

“How many sets of clothes do you have here?” You wondered aloud as you ventured closer to the kitchen. You paused at the counter, fishing out your meds and pouring a glass of water. You couldn’t help but notice your fridge was exceptionally well stocked, it had been practically empty before the mission.

“About a week’s worth, Buck and I have been staying here to make sure your rabbits were taken care of, I hope that's alright.” Steve answered pleasantly while he watched you take your medicine. He made note of the time so that he could remind you again later.

“Oh, yeah that’s fine. You could move in if you wanted and I wouldn’t mind.” You laughed, your offer half in jest. You would love it if they stayed, it may have just been a week but it was a week of constant contact with at least one of them and the way things were now, you would be happy to never be apart from either of them again.

Both men chuckled and shared a look as Steve finished cooking. He’d made burgers, honestly, you should have known he would go for something as all-American as a burger. The way he’d made it was perfect too, all your favorite toppings piled in between the buns, you suspected at some point you must have rambled about wanting a big juicy burger while you were semi-conscious in the hospital.

“We’ve actually been meaning to talk to you about that Princess, while you were sober enough to actually remember what was going on.” Bucky stood as his eyes lingered on the text across Steve’s chest and grabbed him by the apron, tugging the man towards him so he could kiss his jaw sweetly before taking his plate. “Sorry, thought that might have been an order.”

Steve’s face flushed, a goofy grin stretching across his face. You laughed softly and rose to your toes before placing a kiss on his neglected cheek. You took note of how Steve's cheeks flushed pink. “Wouldn’t want to get in trouble with the Captain would we Sergeant?”

“Nah, Princess, definitely don’t want to disobey orders.” Bucky winked while he chuckled and a mischievous grin took hold of his face. You knew you were doomed then, you half expected to be pushed away for intruding on a couple moment; instead, he was drawing you further in.

You coughed to hide the blush creeping up your neck, quickly grabbing your food and making a bee-line to the table. You heard deep chuckles following close behind as you finally sat down to eat. If you’d said it once you’d say it again, these men were going to kill you.

“What did you want to talk about again?” Your mind had already pushed the topic away to make room for the Winter Smolder and the Star Spangled Ass.

“We wanted to ask if you might want to move in with us, your place is a little small and frankly kind of far from work.” Steve answered quickly so that he could begin inhaling the food on his plate. They weren’t kidding when they said Super Soldiers had huge appetites, seeing these two eat made you worry a little for your own food.

It took a moment for what he said to actually click home in your mind. They wanted you to move in with them? Could you do that? You looked around your almost barren apartment, the only real things of value belonged to your rabbits and the furniture came with the place. You could easily pick up and go at a moments notice and you’d never realized before now how little this place felt like home. You could have a real home with the two men who’d, for some reason beyond your comprehension, decided to insert themselves into your life. You didn’t really have to even think about it, how hard would it be to find a new place if it didn’t work out? Not like you had much to move if you decided it wasn’t worth it. It seemed like a perfect opportunity.

“I’d love to.” You grin at the both of them.


End file.
